- World Peace getting amnestied is almost a done deal since it saves the Lakers almost $30 million in taxes.

- D'Antoni not being fond of the post still is looking for the Lakers to deal Pau Gasol.

- Dwight stays because of being in LA where he loves and because Lakers can still offer him the most even when including state tax breaks. What's holding him back is Mike D'Antoni and older roster to build around.

- Kobe playing 2-3 more years after 2014 puts a cap hold on how much Lakers can spend in 2014; Lakers hope Kobe will want to pull a "Dirk Nowitzki" and restructure his deal to come in cheaper. Otherwise, Lakers must either renounce him first, or sign him to a "cheaper" deal (guesstimating something lessthan or around $10 million if not cheaper) before they can know how much they can offer and go after FA's like LeBron or Carmelo.

- With Dwight intact for 2014, Lakers could look to letting Nash go and getting $6 million more to get LeBron + decent role players.

Artest has known for a while now that he's going to be amnestied or traded, and you can tell by the way he was speaking highly of over teams and coaches, while subtly putting down the Lakers, on Twitter (once our season ended).

Yea Kobe with his current contact and previous ones are estiamted to have been roughly from 250 to 270 million just playing time. Plus remember how much he was commercialized at the begginning initially. Currently his biggest factor are his international endoresements, this guy is in Turkey, Chinese, Japanese and European market from anything involving airlines, smart cars, jewely and so on.

At some point something has to give, either MDA or Gasol, personally while i am no big fan of Gasol I really wonder what MDA has against him. Like if post play is such an issue just extend him out and play Bosh style. I think as the coach he should at least be more productive in this, says a lot of Gasol, any other player that would be going thorugh this would be furious.

Business wise nothing is going to happen to Metta until they re-sign Clark and a second wing that could be a starter.

Don't forget Jamison is gone, and Clark is a free agent. We have no 3 or backup 3 right now aside from MWP.

So unless we're getting Wright for sure which isn't a for sure or some moves are already in place for the starting and bench 3 position it won't be a forgone conclusion.

Until that happens you'd sooner see Metta packaged with Gasol in a trade.

Understanding cap is one thing, but unless the Lakers already have moves in place or are moving Meeks to the starting 2 and Kobe to the starting 3 amnestying Metta isn't a forgone conclusion.

They'd find a suitable replacement to start and another piece to come off the bench before doing that.

Because at the present time the only people on our roster capable of playing the 3 is Kobe. So until we make some signings at the wing spot and bench wing spot, Metta isn't going anywhere, unless moves are already in place.

EDIT: Listening now and waiting for Larry Coon but this guy is speaking before him is stupid in hypotheticals and saying what he'd do to save the most money for the Lakers, and not only that he compared Kobe Bryant to Dwayne Wade in terms of the level he'll be playing at next year and going forward. Yes he said Kobe Bryant is going to come back no better than Dwayne Wade and will do "nothing" like Wade does in Miami aside from one or two breakout games and is questioning whether he'll be effective "if at all" in 2014..... yeah...

I think I'm done with him and his so called "expertise" he said nothing new than anyone else has already figured out on this forum in terms of how to save money but could confirm nothing, and threw in a few stupid comments here and there like the above about Kobe.

Moving along to what Coon has to say gonna skip the rest of this guy before him.

EDIT 2: Listened to Larry Coon. All speculation and going over what would cost the Lakers the least amount of money, nothing we already didn't know.

If they amnesty Metta it would save the Lakers 30 million, they should trade Pau cause he can't gel with Dwight and D'antoni can't play them both together etc. The usual stuff. Nothing confirmed sadly, just the things we already knew.

I dont see any event that shows LA has been committed to Pau. I think they are weighing the Dwight situation and if trading helps them in the future. Let's say Dwight resigns. If they don't trade Pau for a player or players that are assets that can improve the team around Dwight then trading him is stupid. Better to use him for what he can bring and let his contract expire. At this point no team is going to give up any serious assets for Pau. Any players they trade him for are going to be high salary "lets take a chance" guys. Andrea Bargnani comes to mind.

I think it depends on what other teams would offer for Pau and if it fits.

Remember it would have to be likely a contract or contracts that end in 2014 and they would have to add up to Pau's salary and they would have to be productive players as well that could either start or add a lot to our bench if we're moving Hill to starting 4 in the absence of Pau.

So we'd have to take on at least 18 million in contracts of productive potential starting players that a majority of would expire in the 2014 off-season or it'd throw off our plans.

Lol "Larry Coon on Lakers" should imply that he was talking about his insight on the Lakers... Lmfao

Yep, instead it was just general terms. As is everything else that doesn't come directly from the Lakers by every analyst till they actually make a move I guess. But hey these guys need stories and money, since none of them can actually GET information from the Lakers about what they are gonna do, they need people to speculate and sale stories hoping one sticks so that if it happens they can go "Aha!! We brought it to you first months ago! hahah!! "

majesty metta is gone accept that

I will once you accept that until the Lakers sign a starting and bench 3 that he's remaining.

Lakers aren't dropping him till they have a viable replacement at bench 3 and starting three. That's clark and possibly Donnell.

Till that happens they aren't cutting Metta or we'd have no 3 whatsoever. it's the same reason we aren't gonna even attempt to trade Gasol or look for deals for Gasol until Dwight re-signs.

Cause if we did and Dwight walked we'd have no center.

Business wise, Metta isn't getting amnestied till they get a replacement wing to start and for the bench. That's just smart business sense. So once you accept those things have to happen in order for what you want to happen, then I'll gladly accept the former.

But if you think that the latter s just gonna happen before the initial takes place then we're always going to disagree. Because the Lakers are a smarter and more calculating organization than that.

Also accept that fact that if the Lakers only re-sign Clark and can't get another wing 3, that Metta isn't getting amnestied Like it or not, it would be dumb to enter the season with only ONE three and that three being Clark, The Lakers know that, luxury tax or not.